N Nevo Rhino 65+5 Backpack Evaluate

Backside Line

The N Nevo Rhino has a tempting low worth, nevertheless it’s not the price range backpacking backpack you hoped it may be.

Outside gear can get costly, so it’s legitimate to ask, “why would I pay $300 for a backpack when this one on Amazon does the identical factor?” Good level. Attempting to find a hidden gem, we dug by means of the pages of listings to discover a aggressive internally framed backpack, and the Rhino was the closest we discovered. We hoped it could carry out effectively and doubtlessly supply nice worth, nevertheless it ended up performing about as we’d anticipate for the worth.

The Rhino has lots of the identical options as dearer backpacks, however we received the impression throughout our testing that it was assembled by somebody who didn’t perceive backpacking that effectively. For instance, we found the hip belt pockets weren’t supported, the again stretch pocket unclipped at a troublesome to entry location, and the sleeping bag compartment was marketed as a spot to retailer footwear. On prime of that, the hip belt and shoulder strap consolation had been first rate, however the again panel was uncomfortable and never one thing we’d wish to endure for hours on finish.

Perhaps subsequent time we’ll discover a diamond within the tough on Amazon, however this price range pack was a swing and a miss. For the standard you get right here, most individuals can be higher off getting a used backpack or saving up for an additional price range decide in our information to the greatest backpacking packs.

How We Examined

We took the Rhino on native trails in Minnesota through the winter whereas we had been overhauling our whole backpack gear information.

Consolation

The great factor is that the hip belt stunned us. When loading up the pack with 30 kilos, we tightened down the buckles and felt an honest quantity of assist and luxury. That is largely due to the huge foam belt design that does a very good job distributing the load right here. Sadly, consolation fell aside rapidly as soon as we shifted our again round. 

That is half of a bigger feeling we received with the Rhino we’ll come again to, nevertheless it looks as if the designers of the pack weren’t backpackers themselves. The again panel is a good instance of that. You see, many backpacking packs have a niche between the 2 pads that relaxation on the again. That is generally carried out to advertise airflow but additionally to regulate torso size. It appears the designers of this pack wished to repeat that design, however made the hole too huge, leading to foam pads that truly press into the again with their corners. This leads to a really unusual feeling of the froth padding creating stress factors – the precise reverse of what you’d need them to do!

If we stood completely upright and simply let the burden relaxation on the shoulder straps and hip belt, the consolation was truly first rate. However as quickly as we moved about, the again panel would remind us this isn’t a pack designed for lengthy distance consolation.

Options

Like quite a lot of low price range packs, the Rhino makes an attempt to throw every part in to make it attraction to as many individuals as attainable. We get massive hip belt pockets, an adjustable torso, rain cowl, sleeping bag compartment, facet zippers, U formed zipper, prime lid, facet straps, and stretchy ice axe attachment cords, together with others. 

To varied levels, all these options work effectively. However there’s an general feeling like there was no room for refinement on any of those options. 

A great instance of that is the flap of cloth that covers the massive U formed zipper. It’s speculated to lie flat and supply rain safety. As an alternative, it sticks straight out, nearly perpendicular to the pack physique. This feels just like the design accommodated for a chunk of cloth on this location, however didn’t take a look at how the material would match or how the stress of the material would trigger it to behave. 

There are quite a few different examples of this across the pack. As an illustration, the hip belt pockets float round in a free manner, the highest lid is oddly tall, and the again stretch pocket connects to a degree on the pack that’s often coated by the highest lid, which makes accessing it troublesome except the lid is unclipped.

As we talked about within the consolation part, it appears the designers of the pack had been merely aiming to repeat current packs with out a lot thought for a way the items all match collectively. Nowhere was this extra obvious than within the advertising for the underside sleeping bag compartment. This can be a frequent characteristic in lots of conventional packs, however on the advertising web page for the Rhino, this compartment is marketed as a “Separate Shoe Compartment.” In the event you’ve by no means been backpacking earlier than, a separate pocket like this may occasionally appear just like health club baggage that characteristic a shoe pocket. Nevertheless it looks as if this pack was put along with all of the components of a backpacking pack however with not one of the intention.

Sturdiness

As a price range backpack, we anticipate to see a decrease degree of sturdiness. Sadly, the Rhino doesn’t present a lot confidence right here. 

A lot of the material feels decently thick, however there’s no manner of figuring out what high quality of cloth N Nevo used. After we loaded up the pack with 30 kilos, we immediately began seeing seams flexing and exhibiting threads, which isn’t a very good signal for long run sturdiness. These seams will solely flex increasingly because the pack is used, finally failing. 

We do should admit – the general high quality is barely increased than we had been anticipating, given the worth. However this pack seems to lag behind different backpacking in potential sturdiness. The addition of mesh on the water bottle pockets and again stretch pocket additionally makes us really feel these can be the primary to fail. This isn’t a pack we’d wish to tackle a via hike for concern of it failing on us halfway by means of.

Ease of Use

With so many options, the Rhino finally ends up being a little bit of a sophisticated beast at occasions, nevertheless it stunned us by being manageable. 

There are a number of notable negatives. The water bottle pockets are too excessive to be usable whereas sporting the pack. Plus, the again stretch pocket clips to a degree that’s coated by the highest lid in case you cinch it down, and the hip belt pockets are a bit far again and unsupported. 

The excellent news is these hipbelt pockets are a number of the few that we examined that may be opened and closed one handed. The pockets are additionally decently massive. Even so, they weren’t our favorites as a result of they flopped round a bit. Fortuitously, the underside zipper, U formed zippers, and prime lid every operated simply.

Ought to You Purchase the N Nevo Rhino 65+5 Backpack?

Normally, no. In the event you’re somebody who wants a backpack – any backpack – for one or two journeys, this might be high-quality. It received’t be the perfect, you’ll be preventing it generally and received’t depart the perfect impression, however you’ll be high-quality. Nonetheless, we don’t suppose it affords an ideal long run worth. Even worse, we concern {that a} pack like this would supply a poor expertise for newbie backpackers – to the purpose they could bitter on backpacking solely. As an alternative, think about a very good, used backpack. Good high quality packs will final years of use, and the used market is usually stuffed with packs that also have a ton of life left in them. For the same worth, these used packs supply a a lot better funding and can last more.

What Different Backpacking Packs Ought to You Think about?

For higher long run worth, please see our full information to the greatest backpacking backpacks or think about the next choices:

REI Flash 55 Evaluate – The price range purchase of our whole lineup is a good decide for skilled or new backpackers alike. With stable development, high quality supplies, and an ideal characteristic set, the Flash impressed us throughout testing.

REI Trailmade 60 Evaluate – The second most cost-effective backpack in our exams, the Trailmade isn’t fairly the deal that the Flash is, nevertheless it does every part the Rhino does with a a lot better expertise at a a lot decrease weight.

Granite Gear Crown 3 Evaluate – The Crown 3 is a a lot better starter pack than the Rhino as a result of it really works for each conventional and ultralight backpacking and carried out effectively in a lot of the classes we examined.